Ice Cores and the Ancient Man

Fig.1. AWI Core Repository (Credit: Hannes Grobe/AWI, CC-BY-SA-2.5)

In 2003, paleoclimatologist William Ruddiman at the University of Virginia hypothesized that early humans significantly altered the climate by burning large areas of forests to clear land for farming and grazing. The greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere - mainly carbon dioxide and methane - halted a natural cooling cycle and possibly prevented another ice age.

Leprosy's Missing Link

Fig.1. A photo-micrograph of Mycobacterium leprae, the pathogen which causes leprosy (Hansen’s disease) taken from skin lesions of an infected patient. The red rods are M. leprae bacteria (Credit: CDC, 1979)

More often found in the Bible than in modern vernacular, leprosy has been treated with fear and social stigma for centuries. Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, still exists today in small pockets around the world but is curable and not very contagious. New molecular techniques have allowed some scientists to track the causative agent Mycobacterium leprae through time and space to hopefully inform modern health care professionals on possible treatment guidelines. A recent study published in PLOS One may not only shed light on the pathogen’s evolution but also show how human migration can be traced through disease.

Teaching old data new tricks

Fig.1. Rock core samples, pictured, stored at the U.S. Geological Survey's Core Research Center. Data derived from core samples, among other types of samples, are useful in testing climate models. (Credit: USGS, 2012)

There’s an old saying that history repeats itself. But in the case of Carrie Morrill’s research, she’s looking to history to prepare for the future.

The Chemistry of Ancient Rome

Fig.1. Aqueduct of Segovia, a Roman aqueduct in modern-day Spain (Credit: Arian Zwegers, 2013, via Flickr).

At the height of the Roman Empire, aqueducts stretched across Europe and helped sustain a population of one million people in Rome alone. As water rushed through these engineering marvels, it often left behind layers of sediment along the walls, which built up for hundreds of years. A recent study has found that the sediment, often deposits of calcium carbonate, may provide a highly nuanced and localized picture of the climate during ancient times. Such a specific record of temperatures or precipitation, along with historical and cultural accounts, would shed light on how human societies adapt to climate change.

Wheat in an Ancient World

Editor's Note: 

An analysis published in the journal eLIFE in November questioned the authenticity of the 8,000 year-old wheat DNA found in the British Isles, cited below. This criticism could overturn the results of Allabay et al.'s study. Alternatively, Allaby et al.'s conclusions, if verified, could drastically change our understanding of the spread of agriculture to the British Isles. This critical review of results is a normal part of the scientific process, so we encourage you to keep up-to-date on the situation and draw your own conclusions. 

Fig.1. Domesticated einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum subsp. monococcum), like these plants in Turkey, may have arrived in the British Isles 2,000 years earlier than expected. (Credit; Mark Nesbitt, 2006)

The application of scientific collections is not just limited to natural or physical sciences. With the advent of newer technologies, the field of archaeology has been able to support material evidence with precise chemical, dating, and DNA analyses. Sediment cores - which can date back to 55 million years ago - are particularly useful for understanding a prehistoric settlement. As materials fall to the ocean floor, they stack on top of past sediments and ultimately form a chronology of the life and environment of that location.

Origin of Maize

Fig.1. Maize, known as corn in the United States, comes in many varieties. This colorful array started out as a teosinte plant in Mexico about 10,000 years ago (Creative Commons: Miguel Vieira, 2011)

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. It originated from the wild grass teosinte, endemic to Mexico and Central America. The evolution from small, hard seeds to a full ear of corn has captivated scientists. Unlike other grains, which evolved slowly, maize appeared rather suddenly in the archaeological record around 10,000 years ago. Although the teosinte ancestor has been accepted, the path from a warmer and wetter Mexico into the arid U.S. Southwest remained controversial. A recent study, however, found how maize traveled and adapted so quickly to a vastly different environment.

DNA in the Details

Fig.1. This parchment's DNA could hold clues to agricultural development three centuries ago. Document shows a sewn repair in Archbishop’s Register 7 Greenfield, 1306-1311.  (Credit: by permission of The Borthwick Institute for Archives)


Researchers may soon be looking into libraries and archives instead of natural history museums for ancient animal DNA. A recent study done at Trinity College Dublin and the University of York sought to trace agricultural development across the centuries through a DNA analysis of parchment documents. Instead of translating text, scientists extracted ancient DNA and protein from tiny samples of parchment from late 17th and 18th century documents. They were able to determine the type of animal from which the parchment was made, providing key information about agricultural expansion centuries ago.

Discovery of a Dinosaur

Fig.1. Pentaceratops aquilonius, a newly discovered species and a smaller, five-horned cousin of the Triceratops (Credit: Nick Longrich, University of Bath).

The recent release of the Jurassic World trailer has many fans excited and some scientists up in arms. Although our understanding of paleontology has certainly advanced since the original Jurassic Park in 1993, the new trailer raised a few eyebrows with it’s scaly, oversized dinosaurs and other scientific inaccuracies. Luckily, a new paleontological discovery has brought a more realistic view of the ancient world to the forefront of science. Dr. Nick Longrich, a researcher at the University of Bath, discovered a new dinosaur hidden among the collections at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. This specimen dates to the Late Cretaceous epoch -- about 70 million years after the end of the Jurassic period -- and provides an important insight into a very old world.